FPCL Youth Group Mini Mission 2017 “Trip Report”

Mini Mission Trip 2017

Day 1: Action Center Packing School Supplies

Day 2: FPCL Work Day

Day 3: Action Center Grocery Store

Action Center: Packing School Supplies

Every year the Action Center of Jefferson County hosts 6 days where families from the area can apply to pick up school supplies for their children for free. The action centers goal for families in need to not have to choose between school supplies, or rent and food. This is why they created the school distribution program. Over the years the program has grown from 100 families using their school supply program to 1,900 families. This year over 4,931 students receiving supplies through the help of the Action Center and their many volunteers.

In order to prepare for helping so many families the AC plans time for volunteers come in to sort donations of supplies. This year we were working in the gym of Steven’s Elementary. Once the multitude of donated supplies (including backpacks) are sorted they pack supplies for each grade level according to the lists given out for the year.

The day we volunteered we packed supplies for Pre-K and Kindergarten students. What fun bags to put together! All the bright markers, crayons, and other art supplies along with the normal school supplies. It was a delight to be thinking of these new students going off to school excited and ready for their first day. We had youth helping pack bags along with helping sort through items. You wouldn’t think counting out pens and pencils and making bundles would be a great deal of fun, and yet all day they had so much fun! We had a wonderful time working and serving together!

FPCL Work Day

On our second mini mission day we wanted to serve in our church community. We wanted a way to love on our own church and help in practical ways we could. After talking with multiple ministries at church we found we were best serving around the grounds. Many of our flower beds had become over grown and were in need of some loving care, not to mention our back alley had become over grown with weeds and was in much need of some weeding. We spent the first part of the morning working in these two areas and finished the afternoon working in the play ground washing it, weeding and generally cleaning up the area.

Before the work day even began, Doug Lemiux, who we would be working with all day among the grounds brought in donuts for the youth. What an incredible way to begin the day, and the youth felt so loved and cared for! It was a blessing to work with him and see all the amazing behind the scenes work he does for this church. I am telling you his back breaking work should not go unnoticed and I am grateful for ever weed he has pulled to help our church shine. It was nice for the youth to join in and help him for a day!

It is back breaking work to be in the hot Colorado sun all morning weeding, but even through it all our youth served with such joy and excitement. The day ended with cleaning the play ground. We helped to get everything ready for the kids who would be playing on it in the coming weeks, which is a fun way to serve our church community.

Serving at FPCL was a joy and the youth were able to give the church some of their own TLC.

Action Center Grocery Store:

We began serving in the Action Center grocery store beginning in April of this year and have loved serving in their store once a month since then. Many times we have worked in their doc where donations of fresh produce, non perishables, and clothing comes in. We will then spend our day sorting through the food to be ready to go to the building next door where families have the choice of what groceries they need.

This time we were in the main building! We helped prepare their grocery store for the week. Stocking shelves with non perishables, bread, and fresh produce. This was a wonderful way to end our mini mission trip!